The invention concerns a fuel cell, especially a molten electrolyte fuel cell, with an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte matrix or layer of electrolyte arranged between them, as well as with current collectors installed at the anode and at the cathode, which electrically contact the anode and the cathode and form flow channels for a fuel gas and a cathode gas to the anode and the cathode. The current collector on the anode side, together with the anode, forms an anode half-cell, and/or the current collector on the cathode side, together with the cathode, forms a cathode half-cell.
In the typical fuel cells of today, especially molten carbonate fuel cells, the electrolyte matrix is integrated as a separate component in the fuel cell or in each of the several fuel cells that are combined into a fuel cell stack. With the usual thicknesses and dimensions of the electrolyte matrix of an efficient fuel cell, namely, a thickness of less than 1 mm, typically 0.5 to 0.6 mm, and a surface area of typically 1 m2, the manual handling of the electrolyte matrix is critical due to its sensitivity to perforation and tearing. Especially during the assembly of large units of cell stacks, there is the danger that a lack of the necessary care and precision will render the fuel cell stack defective or inoperative.